The Nok Culture: An Ancient African Civilization

Hello everyone and welcome, welcome, welcome to the Cultural Depot. Thank you so much for watching and we are so happy to have you here. Please be sure to visit our website daily for newly uploaded Black History videos. Don't forget to inquire about the Zoom link to Touchpoint Tuesdays so that you can get in on the discussion. Today we will be reviewing the Nok culture, an ancient African civilization that was only fairly recently discovered. Hopefully, you have had a chance to view our video on Nubia. There may be similarities between the two cultures. Now, without further ado, let's get started. The Nok culture was one of the earliest known societies of Western Africa. It existed in what is now known to be modern-day Nigeria from around 500 BCE to 200 CE. The Nok people were thought to be farmers using stone and iron tools. The civilization got its name as a result of where the first archaeological artifacts were discovered. In 1928, during a tin mining expedition led by Lieutenant Colonel Dent Young near the village of Nok in Kaduna State, Nigeria, a worker accidentally unearthed a figurine from the dig site. The figurine was made of terracotta and several more pieces were found. Young presented the sculptures to the Museum of the Department of Mines in Joss. This led to several archaeological excavations as Young's discovery was the first indication of an advanced culture that flourished from as early as 900 BCE in the area. Very little is truly known about the ancient culture or even what they actually call themselves. While much is not known about them, the Nok civilization and culture complex is thought to be the parent of all of the civilizations in the Joliba River Valley. It is believed that the influence of the Nok civilization's work can be seen in the detailed and lifelike metal sculptures of human heads by the Ife people of ancient Nigeria who lived around the 11th through the 15th centuries. Based on the high level of detail crafted into each and every piece coupled with the continuity of the style of artwork that was spread across such a vast area spanning three centuries, it could be deduced that the Nok culture belonged to a homogenous group of people who had a well-ordered and stable economy and governing system. The detail in each sculpture paints a picture of a stylish people of means that wore beautifully ornate hairstyles. Terracotta figurines were not the only things unearthed during the archaeological excavations. Tools of stone and iron were also found. The science of iron smelting, or the removal and melting of iron from rock, was widely used during this period. Because there was no copper or bronze found at any of the discovery sites, it was thought that the Nok civilization went from the Stone Age directly into the Iron Age. Evidence of their ironworking technology in the region dates back to at With the discovery of a couple of smelting furnaces along an unpaved dirt road, archaeologists have since found no fewer than 13 bloomeries. To date, over 160 archaeological sites have been found in central Nigeria that are associated with the Nok figures, including villages, towns, smelting furnaces, and ritual sites. Many of the sites have fallen victim to looting. The pieces are being stolen and sold on the black market. Forgeries have been made in order to capitalize on the popularity of the newfound art. Thanks again for watching and don't forget to visit our website theculturaldepot.com so that you can stay up to date on newly released videos. Don't forget about Touchpoint Tuesdays every Tuesday throughout the month of February, 6 p.m. Central Time. Hope to see you there!